I’ve noticed a trend developing in regard to the term companies use to describe their clients. The use of the term is especially prevalent within organizations involved in business development. The term is “Logos”. Peruse sales related job boards and you will routinely find postings stating “Sales Rep wanted, must attract new logos”. Marketing departments use the term when developing and distributing collateral. I’ve witnessed marketing and proposal development teams say “Here you will see a representitve list of logos that buy from our company”. I don’t care much for the term or what it implies as it relates to valuable client relationships.

Although I appreciate contemporary expression I maintain that referring to a client as a mere logo serves only to dehumanize the relationship. Comparisons can be made to the subtle shift introduced within corporations as Employee Service Organizations evolved to Human Resources, and now Talent Management Organizations. Did the evolution of language from Employee Services to Talent Management serve to build trust and greater relationships with those whom companies routinely refer to as “our most valuable assets”? Companies today are projecting the same disregard and insensitivity externally, directed towards their clients, that they they have internally, directed towards their employees.

Every client represents a real person or team of real people that made a decision to trust you and your company to deliver a product or service. Their level of risk and exposure may be small or may be great, but they took a chance on you and gave you an opportunity. Your clients are human and the organizations they represent are comprised of real people. They’re not logos.

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